On Fri, 2003-10-24 at 02:36, John Wilson wrote: > On October 23, 2003 07:17 pm, Lyvim Xaphir wrote: > > I just heard on Fox news that a pseudo-solar flare has erupted on the > > sun, and we now have a massive wave of electromagnetic energy and > > particles headed our way. It's due to hit tommorrow. No kidding. > > > > Supposedly the max rating for such a storm is "G5", this storm is > > supposed to be "G3" or so. Satellite communications might be disrupted > > and they say cell phone communications are at risk as well. Anything > > that's wireless may be affected. I will probably definitely be affected > > since my internet connection is satellite uplink. > > > > Anyways, watch out for voltage spikes and stuff like that. > > > > > > LX > > > Dunno what Fox was on about but you can no more get a voltage spike from solar > flares than you can from making tea. :-)
Sorry, but you are wrong on that. Historically solar flares have played havoc with *both* telecommunications and power grids. FYI: http://www.star.ucl.ac.uk/~idh/STROBEL/starsun/strsuna.htm "Solar flares are eruptions more powerful than surge prominences. They will last only few minutes to a few hours. A lot of ionized material is ejected in a flare. Unlike the material in prominences, the solar flare material moves with enough energy to escape the Sun's gravity. When this burst of ions reaches the Earth, it interferes with radio communication. Sometimes a solar flare will cause voltage pulses or surges in power and telephone lines. Brownouts or blackouts may result. Humans travelling outside the protection of the Earth's magnetic field will need to have shielding from the powerful ions in a flare." > > What you do get is messed up satellite communications and the probability of > all communications running through the air of messing up at some high point > and at some frequency levels. As cell phones operate in a vulnerable > frequency range it's a good bet. > > There is every possibility, depending on the severity of the storm that some > broadcast fequencies will be messed up as well. Things like Short Wave, for > example. > > AC voltage operates at the relatively sluggish rate of 60Hz, far below the > 10000 GHz and higher range that these things generally affect. > > What those like Femme may be able to see is a spectacular display of the > Northern Lights, assuming it's a clear night. Sadly, I won't see much. Too > much light from the city and far too many large mountains in the way. :) > > For those of us in the telecom biz it means we get to cover a monsterous > number of sins of ommission and commission by blaming it all on the sun. :-) > Heh. A golden opportunity. :) Well, I for one can tell you that I'm having problems right now. My uplink is going online and offline, pretty continuously. I have to wait for an online time slice before I send anything. > ttfn > > John LX -- 같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같� Linux Mandrake 9.1 Kernel 2.4.21-0.13mdk *Catch Star Trek Enterprise, Wednesdays on UPN* 같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같같
Want to buy your Pack or Services from MandrakeSoft? Go to http://www.mandrakestore.com
